Tool joint lubricator



June 16, 1953 H. F. GRIFFIN ET AL 2,642,034

TOOL JOINT LUBRICATOR Filed Nov. 20, 1950 22 3 FIG. 2.

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Harold F'. Griffin, By Merrill C. Wrl hf,

. shows a third embodiment of Patented June 16, `1953 Es PATENT OFFICETDOL JIOINT LUBRIACRATOB Harold F. Griflin and Merrill C. Wright,Houston,A

Tex., assignors,

Standard Oil Development Company,

by mesne assignments, to

Elizabeth,

N. J., a corporation of Delaware l Application November 2o, 1950, serialNo. 196,694

s claims, (c1. 11s-31.7)

The present invention isdirected to allubricating device andparticularly to a device for greasing the threads of tooljoint boxes forthe vdrill pipe used in drilling oil wells.

The-present inventionwill now bedescribed in conjunction with thedrawing,.in which:

Fig. l is an elevation, partly in section, which illustrates oneembodiment of the present invention; f j

Fig.. 1A is a sectional .'viewtaken along line I'A-IA of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 2 is-an elevation, partly in section, which illustrates anotherembodiment of the' presentk invention;

Fig. 3.is an elevation, partly in section, which the present invention;and

Fig.v 4 is a View taken along line IV--IV of Fig. 3. I

Turning now specifically to the drawing and firstto Fig'. 1, theembodiment of the present invention is shown in tool joint box II inposition for greasing the threads I2 of the tool joint box. The deviceconsists of a circular cover plate Awhich consists of a central portionprovided with 'a threaded axial opening I4` Aand has an outer downwardlyturned lip I5 at its outer periphery for making a substantiallysnug'engagement with the outer periphery of the end of the ytool jointbox. A threaded nipple I6 is screwed into threaded opening I4 and has aflexible hose I1 secured thereto which is adapted to be secured to agrease gun, not shown in the drawing. Secured to the lower side of thethreaded opening I4 is assembly B consisting of a nipple I8 having aswivel joint I9 secured thereto and below the swivel joint is an elbow20. Secured to the elbow 20 by nipple 2I is grease fitting 22 which hasa plurality of perforations 23 connecting with axial passage 24. Theperforations 23 make an angle of 90 degrees with the axis of passage 24and have more or less the conguration of a fan so that they will give asubstantially uni-form spray onto the threads I2 of the tool joint boxII.

When grease is forced under pressure into hose I1 and thence through thecentral passage defined by members I6, I8, I9, 20 and 2|, and dischargedthrough perforrnaticns 23 as a spray, the reaction of the grease as itdischarges from perforations 23 causes the portion of the apparatusbelow swivel I9, that is Yelbow 20, nipple 2I and spray head 22, torotate in a clockwise direction (when looking down on tool joint II)whichv insures that the entire surface of the threads I2 will receive acoating of grease.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig.. 2. Inlthis embodiment the tool` joint box and the plate A are identical withthe embodiment of Fig. 1 and will not again be described in detail. UnitC vconsists of a tubularl member 30 with its Vupper end provided with!`threads 3l and a central passage 32 from which a multiplicity of spacedsmall kperforations 331 extend at right angles to theaxis thereof. vMem-1. ber 30 is attached to the lower side o'fthreaded openingrIG byits threads 3I. Y, Y Y

In the use of the device of Fig. 2 grease is forced through hose I1under pressure and passes down through central passage'32r anddischarges through perforations 33. The multiplicity of passages 33causes the grease ejected therefrom to form a spray distributedthroughout the circumference and length of the threads I2 of tool jointbox II.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs.v3 and 4.In this embodiment the tool joint box and member A are identical withthe two preceding iigures and hence will'not'be described indetail.' Inthis embodiment a member D is provided for distributing the grease onthe threads of the tool joint. Member D `is a hollow body with athreaded fitting 35 secured to its upper .portion and screwed into thethreaded opening I4 of plate A anddeining a passage 36 which leads intothe interior of the body. The exterior Wall 31 of member D is in theshape of a plug which ts snugly against the lands of threads I2 of thetool joint box II, that is the surface is tapered downwardly andinwardly with the same taper used for the tooljoint threads. Thisexterior wall 31 is provided with a multiplicity of perforations 38distributed throughout the circumference and longitudinally. In order toallo-w mud or other objects in the tool joint to be expelled as greaseis forced into the tool joint from perforations 38, longitudinallyextending passages 39 are provided in the exterior wall 31. Connectingthe exterior wall 31 "with fitting 35 is an upper flat surface 40. It ispreferred toform body D so that its weight and capacity to retain greaseare at a minimum consistent with adequate distribution of the greasethrough the multitude of perforations. Accordingly, an inner cylindricalmember having an end 4I and cylindrical walls 42 is arranged yto connectwith the lower ends of the exterior plug-shaped wall 31. the device hassomewhat the appearance of an In cross-sectional view shaped wall 31makes contact with the lands 'of the threads, the grease fromperforationsmi` is compelled to enter the threaded portionof the jointand the mud or other objectsiin the joint-is expelled by the grease.

The embodiments of the Hpresent invention which have been described andillustrated will allow a box tool joint to be greased readily andleffectively and at the same time protect the opn erator fromcontactwith the grease and `mud while the operation is being-performed.r

While I have described and illustrated preferred embodimentslof thepresent invention, it will be obvious to a workman skilled in the artythat changes may be made in the sizes, shapes and `proportions of theparts without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having fully described and illustrated embodiments of the presentinvention, what I desire toy claim as new and useful and to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A device for greasing a tool joint box comprising, in combination, acover plate of generally circular shape having a threaded axial open- .l

ing with the outer edge thereof in the shape of a downwardly dependinglip for making a snug fit with the exterior surface of the end of saidtool joint, a flexible hose connected to the threaded axial opening Yonthe upper side of said cover plate, a plug member having its outersurfacein the shape of a frustrum of a cone tapering downwardly andinwardly to make a snug fit with the tapered threads of the tool jointand having amultiplicity of radial perforations extendingthrough theexterior wall thereof and distributed; substantially uniformlycircumferentially and; longitudinally throughout the area of saidouter;` surface, the exterior surface of said plug member; defining atleast one longitudinal passage to al-z low the discharge offoreign'matter when grease is discharged through said perforations ontothe threads of said tool joint box, the lower end of said plug beingclosed to form a cavity and its upper end having a threaded portionscrewed into the lower end of said threaded axial opening.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the plug portion of thedevice. consists of an exteriorY wall member in the shape of a frustrumor a cone and an interior cylinder wall mem- ;ber having itsupper endclosed and its lower edge `Aconnected with the lower end of said conicalmember, the two wall members defining a cavity having a circular upperportion and a depending annular portion;

3. A device forl greasing a tool joint box comprising, in combination, acover plate of generally circular shape having an inlet opening with theouter edge of said cover plate in the shape of a downwardly dependinglip for making a snug fit with the exterior surface of the end of saidtool jointbox, va plug member mechanically secured to said cover plateand having its outer surface tapering downwardly and inwardly tol make asnug fit with the tapered threads ofthe tool jointv box'and having amultiplicity of radial perforations extending through the exterior wallthereof and distributed substantially uniformly vcircumferentially andlongitudinally throughout the area of said outer surface, the exteriorsurface of. said plug member defining at least one longitudinal passageto allow the discharge of foreign matter when grease is dischargedVthrough said-perfoi-ations onto the threadsy of said tool joint box,the lower end of said plug being closed to form a cavity and its upperend being in fluid communication with said inletopening vof. said coverplate.

HAROLD F. GRIFFIN. MERRILL C. WRIGHT.

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,384,048 Coates July fl2, 1921 2,322,211 Albright June 22,-1943 2,324,455 Keim et al July 13, 1943 2,370,775 Capita Mar.'6,' 19452,386,079 Weiskopf Oct.. 2, 1945 2,412,954 Zdancewicz Dec. 24, 19462,480,663 McNab Aug. 30, 1949

